The intraoral sensor is one of the most widely used and vital pieces of dental technology. High-quality diagnostic images are of the utmost importance, and getting the most from your sensors means knowing which products have the best track record and how to troubleshoot them. We had been working behind the scenes for our clients for 14 years when we wrote this and had dealt with almost every sensor and sensor issue. Here we cover common sensor options (and ones we don’t recommend), best practices for maintaining sensors, and the do’s and don’ts of sourcing them.
01Intraoral sensor brands, in our experience
Intraoral sensors are among the most common service requests we receive. With quality varying so widely between brands, it’s no wonder we’ve built some strong opinions. Many sensor issues can be addressed by office staff, but if problems keep coming back, it may be time to invest in better diagnostic imaging.
Most common brands (in order of quality)
- Kavo: quality product, good driver support, widely compatible with other imaging software
- Vatech: quality product; EzDent software is very nice and simple to service
- Schick: expensive with no real benefit over comparable options
- Carestream RVG: software not recommended; we advise against it
- XDR: software is unreliable; support is pricey and slow
Sensors to avoid
- Tuxedo: poor driver support with modern Windows
- Clio: low-quality knockoff of Kavo products that fails constantly
- Jazz: device quality isn’t the problem; the software is
There are plenty of places to save money in your practice, but in our experience skimping on intraoral sensors always leads to trouble. It’s a vital tool, so do it right the first time: pick a sensor with great reviews that’s easy to service, ideally with a quality warranty.
02Best practices
Intraoral sensors are notoriously finicky and need careful handling to work properly and last. The good news is that a few best practices can extend the life of this important tool:
- Sensor cables are fragile. Keep them away from foot traffic and equipment, and never rest anything on them.
- The USB connection is also fragile. Use a dongle or extender to reduce wear and tear.
- Traveling sensors break, almost like they were built to. If you use multiple rooms, outfit each with its own sensor.
- CMOS sensors frequently break because of their fragile materials, so handle them with care.
03Sourcing do’s and don’ts
When buying an intraoral sensor, the impulse to save can be strong, but with so much riding on imaging results, you want a high-quality product you can rely on. Marketplace sites like Amazon carry extreme downside: they’re riddled with cheap knockoffs that come without a warranty when they fail. Go straight to the manufacturer or a reputable dental-specific vendor; you’ll get what you pay for and a warranty to back it up.
Used sensors are another way to save, but as we’ve said, these devices are notoriously finicky, and buying used often means buying someone else’s headache. Even if the sensor works perfectly, you won’t get the warranty benefits if you aren’t the original owner.
About Darkhorse Tech
Whether you’re just starting out or a well-established organization, Darkhorse Tech has the experience and technology to help get you moving, cut costs, and streamline your operations with unlimited IT support. We help you do what you do best: provide top-notch care and service for patients, not deal with IT problems, time spent on hold with technical support, or complicated technical mishaps. Our additional security services include:
- Unlimited remote and/or on-site IT support of all your hardware and software
- Improved network performance and security
- HIPAA-compliant off-site and local backup service (Darkhorse Secure Backup)
- Managed antivirus, anti-malware, and anti-ransomware (Darkhorse Security Products)
- Compliance and security law standards
- Microsoft security patch management
- Vendor management: we will be on the phone, not your employees
- Secure, remote access to your office
- Firewall management
- Network management
- Long-term planning and budgeting
Contact us anytime to learn more about our dental-specific solutions and unlimited support packages. Read our reviews or call us today at 800.868.4504.
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